1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a filter element, and specifically relates to a filter element with a pleat pack.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Filter elements can be used to provide clean fluid, such as air, to or from various devices. Such devices can include gas turbines where clean air over a long service life of the gas turbine is needed. Filter elements such as cartridge filters can be used within an inlet filter house to filter contaminants from an air flow prior to introduction into an associated gas turbine.
Many filter elements include filter media that is pleated in a longitudinal direction. Specifically, such longitudinal pleating extends parallel to an elongate axis of the filter elements. For gas turbine pulse filters, such filters are commonly termed cone and cylinder. Filter elements having longitudinal pleating are often fixed in at least one size dimension such as the length dimension. Furthermore, longitudinal pleating also creates shelf-like obstructions that can limit or hinder the release of filtered particulate matter from the filter media. Additionally, many longitudinally-pleated filter media are in contact with other structures in an end-to-face orientation such that the edge of the filter media is sealed to a surface via a required use of relatively large amounts of sealant to create an effective seal. Also, longitudinally-pleated filter media can be limited in the total area of filter media included within a particular filter size as well as the spacing between the pleats within a given filter element. As such, there are benefits for continual improvements in filter technologies so as to address these and other issues.